There are prior art apparatuses for applying labels on respective fruit and vegetable products, preferably contained in a suitable container or crate, which comprise a supporting framework, product feed means, and means for applying the labels on the products, having a plurality of label application devices, which are provided, in particular arranged, side by side and are configured in a first and a second transversal row of devices. The prior art apparatuses also comprise respective electronic processing means for controlling said application devices, starting with data relating to the position of the fruit and vegetable products according to longitudinal and transversal coordinates, which are entered directly by the users of such apparatuses.
In these known apparatuses, there are problems relating to the correct positioning of the labels on the product. The label is not always positioned on a part of the product able to support said label. As a result, the label is partly positioned on the product, consequently there is a high risk of unwanted label detachment from the fruit or product, in other cases, the label is even directly positioned on the crate, that is to say, in a completely inappropriate position.
Another problem with prior art label application machines relates to label positioning in off-center positions on the fruit or vegetable product, with a resulting high risk of unwanted detachment of the label from it. This is due to the fact that the prior art application devices are fixed on the respective supporting frame and cannot reach an optimum position for label application on the respective fruit or product.
A further problem with prior art label application machines relates to the difficulty picking up the labels using prior art bellows carrousels, difficulties mainly caused by label positioning which is not always perfect, at the point of label pickup by the bellows of the respective label pickup and application carrousel, that is to say because of the excessively flat shape of the end surface for label pickup of the respective application bellows element.
Another problem of prior art label application machines relates to the excessive construction complexity and consequent high production costs. Moreover, in the sector the need is felt for label application machines with a high level of operating effectiveness and which are highly flexible, in particular compared with prior art label application machines.